If you enjoy transportative music and a fabulous light show, consider catching up with Chelsea Wolfe and her three-piece band. They’re a tight unit – drums, bass, electric and acoustic guitars, keys, synths – elevating Wolfe’s atmospheric songs. The hour-twenty set passed in no time at all – suddenly, it was encore time – with the almost ritualistic quieter tunes complemented by eruptions of guitar and pummelled drum kit. I knew only Wolfe’s Abyss album and recognised two* of its highlight tracks, but didn’t feel the poorer for my ignorance. Wolfe also managed the rare feat of quieting the bar chatter – an attentive (goth-prominent) crowd, with only a couple of exceptions. Whether cruising or rocking, the one constant was Wolfe’s voice, as much instrument as the electric guitar used for effect not solos. And yes, a round of applause to the lighting engineer who enhanced the mood and theatricality of the concert. Off now to look at some albums and lyric sheets.
